by November already
A few weeks ago I picked these lovely hydrangeas from our garden. They have aged slowly to rich dusky tones and crispiness and are still gracing our table at a time of few fresh garden flowers.
What a rainy fall we have had and still it continues. Out of the month of October, we had only three days without rain, something of a record. That is more typical for November so we are all hoping for less liquid, more sun this month! Between showers yesterday, I managed to quickly gather lots of geranium cuttings to root over the winter indoors. Lots of work still to be done tidying and preparing the garden for winter if we could have some dry days, please.
November 5, 2016 in Home, Nature, Photoworks by Marja-Leena
I think that the long-lasting qualities of hydrangeas makes them a must in the garden.
Tom, I fully agree as they are easy care, with just deadheading and a bit of pruning once a year, rewarding us with an abundance of flowers
Marja-Leena: we have right now a temperature of -6 C here, very stiff ground, been already a week like this. Had to dig sweaters, winter shoes and coats and wool caps maybe a month two earlier this year. Not very windy, luckily.
And our bigger rains were almost a month ago. Early season change. Summer was a very odd one, relatively warm but absolutely still. Consequently lot of blue berries and lingonberries and also mushrooms.
Your garden will survive, if you don’t get it all raked in time in every corner! It’s not good to get wet…
Hei Ripsa! I do know how it is when winter comes early in the north, and it’s so much darker. We lived a few years in northern British Columbia. Winnipeg winters were also very cold and long.
We had some major wind and rainstorms in October which felled trees in many areas. Residents were asked to clear roadside drains in front of their properties to prevent flooding. Cypress and other needled trees were stripped by the winds of their numerous dry bits leaving a mess everywhere, including the eavestroughs! Husband filled several cans for greens pickup at the curb as this material is unsuitable for composting. I don’t mind leaving some leaves in the garden, in fact I use some as mulch, but too many can bury and kill certain garden plants, and it makes decks, stairs and walkways slippery!
Still more to clean up, more tree and shrub pruning to be done, and the planting of some spring flowering bulbs. The eternal cycle of the seasons!
Marja-Leena: the nicest thing living here IS the sharp difference between the seasons. Now it has been snowing and blowing in Helsinki already 3 days straight.
Other than that, the Canadian immigrant bureau’s net pages fell down after the news of your neighbour country came up. What kind of times! In words of the recent Nobel-winner: Times they are a’changin’!
Ripsa, I agree and do miss the distinct four seasons. Vancouver seems to usually have three, sometimes a short fourth.
Shocking events last night, truly unbelievable! There has long been talk by many Americans saying they will emigrate to Canada if this horrible man wins. Long before the final results were confirmed, that website crashed. Some thought it was just a joke, but it was the real thing.
Now, like many, I am worried for all of us in the world.
Like you I appreciate the long lasting attractive stages of the hydrangea in autumn. I have one just outside my sewing room window, and love looking at it nearly every day. We have been most fortunate this year with the autumn weather: it has been dry mostly, and still. The leaves have lasted much longer than normal, and only in the past couple of days has the temperature dropped to ‘normal’. What a contrast to last year’s deluges. It seems that we just have to wait and see whatever weather comes our way. It makes it so frustrating for those of us who like to plan and be prepared, but on the other hand I must admit that I am enjoying the still sunshine – while it lasts!
Olga, how fortunate that this year you had such a pleasant fall. You are right, we just have to take what comes, we cannot control the weather. Let us hope for a reasonable winter. Meanwhile the hydrangeas will survive, they are tough shrubs, and I love their many varieties of which I have several.
The dramatic colors of these make for a truly spectacular image. They remind me of some exquisite and ancient still life one might find in some forgotten corner of a museum.
Yes, I’ve been spending much time reading histories of the Ottoman Empire these past weeks so unique and luxurious images are much on my mind. Did you know that when the Roman Empire fell in the early 400s that Constantine had already established the centre of Christendom in that city by the Bosphorus? Rome, and subsequently the Church, were taken over by the forces of the Franks who became the popes of the dark ages. Meanwhile the Eastern Orthodox patriarchs continued the traditions of Christianity. It wasn’t until 1453 that the Ottomans overthrew the city and the Roman Empire came to its final end.
It’s all most fascinating and very complicated.
I’m sorry you’ve had so much rain there. We enjoyed a wonderful October but cold and rain are taking up more of our days – in preparation for all the rest that comes at the end of the year. I was happy to see you’ve been back with some news and another marvelous scan. I’ll hope to see more.
Susan, thanks for the kind and interesting comments on my scan. It is a bit dark but I liked the feeling of something rich and ancient.
Your readings are fascinating and remind me why I love reading historical fiction. So many religious wars were often about politics and power, and some still are in parts of the world. Does it ever change?
The scan is really good and brings out the subdued richness of the dried flowers.. Terry, for some reason, hates hydrangeas. We had a row of scraggy ones in the front yard, and he kept running the mower over them until they died. The climate here does not suit hydrangeas. I do see quite a variety of nice ones in Seattle.
Hattie, glad you like the scan. Do you suppose your climate is too warm for them? Perhaps they need that cold winter rest? I am not fond of the sharp blue ones but do like the more subtle colours. I also have a lot of whites that are amazing but turn beige-y in the fall and winter. Hydrangeas can be a lot of work deadheading them before spring.
Brittany is rather the land of the hydrangea, the acid soil keeps them very blue. I can see why people are a bit ambivalent about them all faded pink and blue in full sun in summer, but they really are at their best in autumn, I think, and that scan is so beautiful.
We’ve had quite a splendid October, but November’s bringing on the rain and hail and general winter chilliness.
Lucy, how interesting about Brittany being the land of the hydrangea. Our soil here tends to acidic as well and I know that brings out the blue, but they also don’t like too much intense sun which bleaches down the colour.
Glad to hear you had a lovely October as it should be, and usually is here. The rains just keep coming even in November but it is still mild. Once the temperatures drop it will mean snow on the mountains.
Scrumptious colors–reminds me a bit of certain Puritan “sadd” colors, all muted and glowing shadows. Lovely on the black blankness.
Wish we could re-distribute rain… The ridge just above my mother’s house in western North Carolina was on fire several nights ago, so she had a huge excitement of the sort you don’t want. That region keeps breaking out in new fires.
Marly, I have not heard of these Puritan “sadd” colors, but I think I know what you mean.
What a worry over your mother’s safety near those fires! You may have heard of the terrible fires earlier this year near the Tar Sands in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, even in NE BC. Yes, if only we could re-distribute our rain.
Thanks for dropping by!
Yes, it is a bad year for the fires…. And so many homes and businesses burned.
I think you probably like sadd colors! They were a good bit more colorful than we think, but often muted in shade.